I understand how we are the benchmark, however history provides a great outline for humanity's brightest and darkest experiences. We've come a long
way from where we've been. However when comparing humanities current state, with what humanity is actually capable of, doesn't it show that we are
still very very primitive in our development?

In some instances 1 can agree the humanoid form is primitive but the Sleeping Souls within the humanoid forms may be more advanced then considered, so
advanced that the advanced may have taken interest long long long ago and prefer them sleeping...

Is it by another intelligent species right here on our own world? - No.

It is humans giving humans a critique on how we are doing.

Which, when you think about it, is meaningless in many ways.

We assume what the future should be. We assume what another advanced intelligent species would think or how they would view us. We assume a LOT of
things, without actually knowing.

We can compare ourselves to our past. But how do we compare ourselves to other civilizations out in the galaxy......when we have no clue about
them?

Again, it's all assumptions made by us. We set the standard of what we think is out there, and then put ourselves up against that measuring
stick......when in fact, the measuring stick is completely made up by us in the first place!

It's like a huge business is accused of breaking the law, and they decided to do their own internal investigation, and no outside party is involved
who can be a bit more objective in said investigation.

The fact is: we simply do not know what is out there. We only have what WE HUMANS think should be out there and then we stack ourselves up against
that very thing we HUMANS have imagined.

For all we know, the most advanced races out there that have interstellar travel are aggressive as hell. They may even be xenophobic (that would be
bad, very bad, for us).

I know a lot of people that think by the time a species has discovered interstellar travel, that they must be this all peaceful, non-violent types,
but think again: that is something WE humans are thinking.

And, we have the ability to reach the closest stars within a single generation......right now. Have we cured hate, war and aggression?

No, we've not.

We simply will not know how we stack up for real until contact is made, either because they came here (que Darth Vader's theme as storm troopers
march down the ramps), or once we get out there and find them.

Well the main reason, technological anyways, is how our infrastructures, and civilization is heavily based on finite resources such as fossil fuels.
Sure there have been some innovation in the past decade or so, were we can harness the wind, or the sun which are pretty much infinite in abundance.
Thing is with those technologies is that they hardly have the horsepower, or torque that gasoline engines have.

Plus, a lot of the nations are fighting over imaginary lines of diplomacy, that could hardly give a crap about there futures, or their children s
futures for that matter. And we have kind of over bred to the point were our ecosystem is stressed, and resources are limited. As well as the lack of
space travel.

The Kardeshev scale is only theoretical, and is just guessing certain stages of...development on a large scale.

originally posted by: Thecakeisalie
So why is it that humanity is considered minnows compared to these alleged advanced races that could inhabit the milky way?

It is because of our increasingly scientistic value system. But technology is not the only kind of advancement. There is also art, literature,
spirituality and religion.

By all accounts these aliens are spiritually retarded. As one person put it, it is a bit disingenuous to see them as our spiritual leaders when they
are so obviously emotionally void.

I think it is dangerous to denigrate humanity as being 'nothing more' than an insignificant species on a grain of sand in a vast universe. This might
be only a handful of such grains with life on it. Also it is playing into the aliens plan to see them as advanced or superior. In spiritual terms we
might be light years ahead of them - and the evidence suggests we are...

U could compare us to the ancient aztecs, and the Aliens would be the Europeans crossing a vast ocean that the Aztecs probably had no clue there
another continent over such a distance.

The Europeans thought they were more superior. And the Aztecs looked at them like Gods.

Thing is with Aliens, we have no idea who they are, or what they are capable of. We could be still throwing spears, while they are throwing lightning
bolts. We throw nukes, they'd still be throwing lightning bolts.

Imagine we were aliens visiting a distant planet and came across a society like ours. People get killed daily for having a different skin color. Women
get treated like lesser human beings because they have different genitalia. Corrupt governments care more about money than the people they are
supposed to protect. People are killed for worshipping the "wrong" god. Much of our planet is still at war over petty crap, like Syria, North Korea
etc. but the main reason is oil and greed. Then there are countless people addicted to heavy drugs. Considering all of this info about a society,
would you want to befriend them?

...and in fits and starts, we'll get there. If, of course, we survive the journey.

My question is actually based on the premise of the thread... How do we know where we are in comparison with whatever alien races may or may not be
out there in the Great Beyond?

There is a wonderful short story by Harry Turtledove called A Road Not Taken. We have
no idea what may or may not be out there.

For all we truly know, we are alone in the Universe. Seems unlikely, I grant you, but someone has to be first...

An advanced society that rises to a technological level is, in all likelihood, a predator species. ...and predators have a certain mindset ingrained
in them. ...and eons of genetic/cultural breeding isn't overcome in a day.

For all the violence and assorted other problems facing us, there are also things of sublime beauty, as well.

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